Heavy cable shackle padlock

ABSTRACT

A padlock having a heavy cable shackle of selected length, constructed to provide good lock security. Identical long cable end pieces are received in parallel bores in a pad lock case and extend into a lock cavity formed by three overlapping parallel bores. The shackle-heel end piece is rotatably fixed in its bore by a heel plate engaged in a retaining groove of the piece and secured against the cavity end wall by a taper-head screw on the axis of one of the cavity bores. The shackle toe end piece is releasably dead-locked in its bore by a toe tumbler or bolt engaged in a retaining groove of the piece and slidably held against the cavity end wall by a retaining plate, which carries a throw assembly rotatable on the axis of the central cavity bore. The retaining plate has one end engaged in a supporting groove in the case and is supported at the other end, and held in the groove, by a plug rotatably locked in one cavity bore and held against removal by an 8-shaped key-actuated lock core received in the other two cavity bores.

United States Patent [1 1 Best [451 Apr. 24, 1973 [541 HEAVY CABLE SHACKLE PADLOCK [75] Inventor: Walter E. Best, Indianapolis, Ind.

[73] Assignee: Best Lock Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind.

22 Filed: Feb. 8, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 113,358

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Wolfe AttorneyTrask, Jenkins & Hanley 5 7 ABSTRACT A padlock having a heavy cable shackle of selected length, constructed to provide good lock security. Identical long cable end pieces are received in parallel bores in a pad lock case and extend into a lock cavity formed by three overlapping parallel bores. The shackle-heel end piece is rotatably fixed in its bore by a heel plate engaged in a retaining groove of the piece and secured against the cavity end wall by a taperhead screw on the axis of one of the cavity bores. The shackle toe end piece is releasably dead-locked in its bore by a toe tumbler or bolt engaged in a retaining groove of the piece and slidably held against the cavity end wall by a retaining plate, which carries a throw assembly rotatable on the axis of the central cavity bore. The retaining plate has one end engaged in a supporting groove in the case and is supported at the other end, and held in the groove, by a plug rotatably locked in one cavity bore and held against removal by an 8- shaped key-actuated lock core received in the other two cavity bores.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTOR WALTER E. BEST BY bzmzwqaw AT TORNEYS PATENTEDAPRZMUH 3,728,879

Fig.2

INVEN TOR WALTER E BEST 68 O ATTORNEYS HEAVY CABLE SHACKLE PADLOCK SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a heavy-duty padlock having a shackle formed of a heavy cable of selected length. The two ends of the cable are fitted with end pieces, which may be of identical shape, swaged or otherwise secured thereto. Each end piece forms a long heavy prong having a retaining groove adjacent its end, adapted to be inserted in a long receiving bore in the lock case. One end of the lock case has a thick end wall with spaced bores therein for reception of the cable end prongs, and the other end of the case has a lock cavity therein which overlaps the spaced bores and has a flat end wall. The cavity is desirably formed of three overlapping parallel bores which form longitudinal ribs therebetween, parts of such ribs are milled away to leave retaining lugs on the walls of the cavity, and the cavity walls are also milled to form a groove for supporting one end of a lock bolt retaining plate in a manner analogous to that used in certain conventional shackle padlocks. The cable end piece forming the heel of the shackle is retained in one bore in the case by a heel tumbler plate engaged in the retaining groove of the end piece and fixed against the end wall of the case cavity, as by a taper-head screw coaxial with an outer one of the bores forming the case cavity. The other cable end piece, forming the shackle toe, is rotatably and releasably locked in its bore by a toe tumbler or bolt slidably mounted against the cavity end wall. The bolt is held in place by a retaining plate, and is operated by a throw assembly mounted therein. The retaining plate is received at one end in the milled cavity groove and is supported at the other end, and blocked from disengagement from the groove, by a plug inserted in the cavity bore coaxial with the said toe-plate screw, and bayonet-locked in place by engagement with the retaining lugs formed on the cavity walls. A key-actuated lock core of 8-shape is inserted in the other two cavity bores and releasably locked in place by engagement of a locking lug thereon with another retaining lug in the lock case. The bolt and shackle ends are desirably shaped to provide dead-locking action, requiring positive key actuation both to receive the toeshackle in the case and to release it, and the throw assembly is arranged to block bolt-retraction except when key-actuated.

The lock is of sturdy construction and provides a high degree of security. All lock assembly parts are wholly enclosed within the one-piece lock case and protected from access by the key-controlled lock core when such core is inserted and locked in place. The cable shackle end prongs are held securely by means which permits them to rotate on their axes, and to resist strong lateral forces.

THE DRAWING The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention, and shows a preferred embodiment. In such drawing,

FIG. 1 is a central longitudinal section through a cable shackle padlock embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom end elevation on the lock shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a removable lock core used in the lock of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but with the lock core in place, and showing the lock core and shackle plug in elevation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The padlock shown in the drawing comprises a cable shackle l0 and a lock case 12. The cable may be either bare or covered with a sheath 14. The opposite ends of the cable are fixed in end pieces 16 and 18 which may be swaged in place and may be of identical shape. Each has a central cylindrical portion forming a shoulder 19, and a prong portion 20 projecting therefrom which is provided adjacent its end with a retaining groove 22 separating the main body of the prong from an end portion 24. The end piece 16 is the shackle heel piece and the end piece 18 is the shackle toe piece.

The lock case 12 is an integral one-piece body formed with a heavy end wall 13 having parallel bores 26 and 28 therein for the reception of the prongs 20 of the shackle heel and toe pieces 16 and 18. Preferably, the prongs 20 and bores 26 and 28 interfit over a long axial length in excess of the prong diameter, to resist strong lateral forces and isolate them from the lock mechanism. A cavity 30 is formed in the opposite end of the case 12, for the reception of the locking mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 2-5, the cavity 30 is formed by boring three spaced overlapping bores 32, 34, and 36, and by subsequently milling away portions of the longitudinal ribs between the bores to form flat sides 38 and 40 but to leave inwardly projecting lugs 42 adjacent the outer end of the cavity and lugs 44 spaced inward from such outer lugs 42. The inner end of the cavity has a flat end face 48 and the right edge of the cavity is milled to form a groove 46 adjacent the flat inner end face 48. The outer end of the cavity bores are desirably counter-bored to form a peripheral groove 31.

The shackle heel piece 16 is received in its bore 26 with its shoulder 19 abutting against the end of the lock case 28. Its prong 20 lies with its retaining groove 22 beyond the cavity end face 48, and is rotatably retained in place by a heel tumbler plate 50 engaged edgewise in the groove 22 and held flat against the end face 48 by a taper head screw 52 positioned on the axis of the cavity bore 32. The cable toe piece 18 has its prong 20 rotatably and removably received in the lock case bore 28 with its retaining groove 22 positioned to be engaged by a toe tumbler plate or bolt 54 slidably mounted against the end face 48 and held in place by a retaining plate 56. The retaining plate is retained at its forward end (to the right in the drawings) by engagement in the retaining groove 46 milled in the lock case. Such forward end is centrally cut away to clear the end portion 24 of the shackle toe piece prong 20, and thus forms end fingers 58 which lie in the groove 46 at the sides of such end portion 24, as shown in FIG. 3.

A throw assembly 60 is rotatably mounted in the retaining plate 56 on the axis of central cavity bore 34, and consists of a circular head 61 rotatably mounted in a seat in the plate 56, a pair of throw legs 62 fixed to the head, and an eccentric stud 64 fixed on the head and engaged in a close'fitting cross slot 55 in the toe tumbler plate or bolt 54. The stud is located in a position in which it normally blocks retraction of the bolt 54 from its locking position shown in full lines in FIG. 2, and from which it is not readily moved by a force in a retracting direction from the bolt. The rear end of the retaining plate 54 (to the left in the drawings) is supported by a removable plug 68 received in the bore 32 of the lock cavity 30. The plug has a central blocking lug 70 at its upper end which projects across the rear end of the retaining plate 56 and blocks such plate against movement out of the groove 46 and which also lies in blocking relation with the taper head screw 52 which holds the heel tumbler plate 50, and hence blocks release of such taper head screw and the heel tumbler plate. The plug 68 also forms an end shoulder 72 underlying the rear end of the retaining plate 56 to support such rear end against the bolt 50.

The plug 68 is a formed body which is slidable axially into the bore 32 of the case. It is shaped on its right face 74 to form an arc of a cylindrical wall co-axial with the central bore 34 and thus to define with such bore 34 and the bore 36 an 8-shaped opening for the reception of the correspondingly-shaped lock core shown in FIG. 6. The left side of the plug 68 is shown as conforming with the bore 32, but in practice it is sometimes found convenient to use a plug 68 which has portions milled away at the left for purposes of use in other padlocks. The plug 68 is retained in the case by the bayonet-lock engagement of a pair of lugs 76 on the side of the plug with either or both of a set of lugs 42 and 44 on the inner face of the case 12. In assembly, the plug 68 is inserted axially in the bore 32 in a rotationally oriented position in which the lugs 76 lie in the central bore 34 and thus can move past the ribs 42 ane 44 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 4. When the plug 68 is fully inserted, it is then rotated to the full line position shown in FIG. 4to carry its lugs 74 over the casing lugs 42 and 44 and lock the plug 68 in place. Desirably, there is some frictional engagement between the parts to make this assembly self sustaining in the absence of a lock core in the bores 34 and 36.

The lock core shown in FIG. 6 is of the type shown in Frank E. Best U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,942. Such core comprises a body 80 of eight-shape configuration which contains a key plug 82 in its lower lobe, operable by a key 84. The body 80 has a narrow radial flange 81 at the front adapted to be received in the counterbored groove 31 of the case when the eight-shaped body is inserted in the correspondingly-shaped opening formed by the bores 34 and 36 of the case 12. A retaining lug 86 projects from the side of the body 80 at the rear, and is retractable by use of a control key in the key plug 84 to permit insertion and removal of the core from the case. When the lock core body 80 is in place in the case 12, the retaining lug 86 is projected from the body 80 by turning the control key. The lug 86 engages over one of the lugs 44 on the inside of the case to retain the lug core in place until it is removed by use of the control key. The presence of the lock core in the case 12 blocks rotation of the plug 68 from its bayonet-locked position and thus prevents removal of that plug from the case.

The lock core is operable for normal purposes by an operating key 84, which turns the key plug 82 without retracting the lug 86. The key plug contains two diametrically spaced holes 84 which receive the legs 62 of the throw member 60 so that the key plug 82 is connected to the throw member 60 to turn it and thereby actuate the bolt 54.

The lock is of sturdy construction, and supports and locks the ends of the heavy cable 14 together with a high degree of security. In assembly, the prong 20 0f the heel piece 16 is inserted in the bore 26, and is rotatably secured in place by mounting the heel tumbler plate 50 in the case in edgewise engagement with the retaining groove 22 of the heel piece. The bolt 54 is then inserted against the end wall 48, and the retaining plate 56 laid against the bolt 54 and moved forward (rightward) into engagement with the retaining groove 46. The throw assembly 60 is previously mounted in the retaining plate, and has its operating lug 64 engaged in the cross slot of the bolt 54. The plug 68 is then inserted axially into the bore 32 of the cavity to carry its end lug 70 past the rear end of the retaining plate 56 and carry its supporting shoulder 72 against the lower face of that retaining plate 56. The plug 68 is then rotated from its dotted line position in FIG. 4 to its full line position to carry its locking lugs 76 over the case lugs 42 and 44, to bayonet-lock the plug 68 in place. A lock core as shown in FIG. 6 is then inserted into the eight-shaped opening formed by the shackle plug face 74 and the bores 34 and 36. The mounted position of the core is shown in FIG. 7.

When assembled, the lock parts hold the shackle heel piece 16 securely but rotatably in the bore 26. The heel tumbler plate 50 is secured by its screw 52 and removal of the screw and the plate is blocked by the plug 68. The dead-locking bolt 54 requires keyoperated retraction for either insertion or withdrawal of the toe piece 18. When the bolt is in locking position, it is blocked from retraction by the lug 64 of the throw member 60, and the throw member in turn is held from rotation except when a proper operating key is present in the key plug 82. In the absence of such key the shackle is dead-locked against removal. Rotation of the key plug 82 by a proper key rotates the throw member 60 and causes the eccentric lug 64 to retract the bolt 54 and thus to open the shackle toe receiving bore 28 to allow insertion and retraction of the toe member 18 in the lock. The long engagement of the prongs 20 with the bores 26 and 28 strongly supports them against lateral forces and isolates such forces from the lock mechanism. I claim:

1. A cable shackle padlock, comprising a heavy cable shackle having a heel piece and a toe piece attached to its ends, each having a prong for insertion in a bore in a lock case and having a retaining groove in position to be exposed for engagement within such case,

a lock case having bores for the reception of said prongs and having side walls and an end wall defining a lock chamber intersecting said bores,

a heel plate mounted against said end wall in edgewise engagement with the retaining groove of said heel piece, the toe-piece-receiving bore into endwise engagement in the retaining groove of the toe piece prong to releasably lock the toe piece in the case, a plate support shoulder formed in the case,

a retaining plate supporting the bolt and engaged endwise toward said toe piece bore in supported engagement with said plate support shoulder, and

a plug having a seated position in a portion of said chamber at the opposite end of said retaining plate, having an end surface positioned to support said opposite plate end, and having an end portion extending across the end of the retaining plate to block it against movement out of engagement with said plate support shoulder,

said plug being interlocked with the case and being shaped to define therewith a lock core-receiving opening for the reception of a lock core therein,

and a throw member mounted in said retaining plate and operable by said lock core to retract said bolt.

2. A cable shackle padlock as in claim 1 in which said prong-receiving bores are parallel bores intersecting the end wall of the chamber and said heel plate is mounted flat against said end wall.

3. A cable shackle padlock as in claim 1 in which said chamber comprises three overlapping bores, and said heel plate is positioned at the inner end of an outer one of said bores and retained by a screw aligned with that bore, and the plug is mounted in that bore.

4. A cable shackle padlock as in claim 1 in which said plate support shoulder is formed by a groove in the case wall into which one end of the plate is engaged for support of such end, said plug end surface supporting the opposite end of the plate.

5. A cable shackle padlock as in claim I in which said case and plug are so shaped that the plug is received in the case by relative axial movement thereof, and have bayonet-locking lugs thereon in position to be intel-engaged by rotation of the plug in its axially inserted position in the case, the plug having an edge portion which projects into said lock core-receiving opening when the plug is rotationally oriented with said lugs in disengaged relation, and a lock core received in said opening and blocking movement of said edge portion into said opening and thereby blocking said plug for disengagement from said case.

6. A cable shackle padlock as in claim 1 in which said lock case comprises a thick end portion between the end wall of the chamber and the end of the case, and said prongs and prong receiving bores interfit in said thick end portion over an axial length in excess of the diameter of the prongs, to thereby resist lateral forces on the cable and prongs and isolate the lock mechanism therefrom.

7. A cable shackle padlock, comprising a heavy cable shackle having a heel piece and a toe piece attached to its ends, each having a heavy prong for insertion in a bore in a lock case and having a retaining groove in position to be exposed for engagement within the case,

a lock case having a lock chamber therein defined by side walls and an end wall of thick section,

a pair of parallel bores through said thick end wall of said chamber for the reception of the prongs of said heel piece and toe piece,

said prongs extending in interfitting relation with said end wall through a long bore length in excess of their diameter, whereby lateral forces on said cable end pieces are transmitted to the thick section of the case and isolated from the lock mechanism within the lock chamber, and lock mechanism within the chamber comprising retaining bolts mounted against said thick end wall and engaged endwise in the retaining grooves of the prongs to lock the same in said bores.

8. A cable shackle padlock as set forth in claim 7 with the addition of shoulders on said heel and toe pieces in position to engage the outer face of said thick portion of the case and thereby prevent inward thrust forces on said pieces from being transmitted to said lock mechanism.

9. A cable shackle padlock as set forth in claim 6 with the addition of shoulders on said heel and toe pieces in position to engage the outer face of said thick section when the prongs thereof are locked in the case. 

1. A cable shackle padlock, comprising a heavy cable shackle having a heel piece and a toe piece attached to its ends, each having a prong for insertion in a bore in a lock case and having a retaining groove in position to be exposed for engagement within such case, a lock case having bores for the reception of said prongs and having side walls and an end wall defining a lock chamber intersecting said bores, a heel plate mounted against said end wall in edgewise engagement with the retaining groove of said heel piece, a bolt in said chamer and slidable transversely of the toe-piecereceiving bore into endwise engagement in the retaining groove of the toe piece prong to releasably lock the toe piece in the case, a plate support shoulder formed in the case, a retaining plate supporting the bolt and engaged endwise toward said toe piece bore in supported engagement with said plate support shoulder, and a plug having a seated position in a portion of said chamber at the opposite end of said retaining plate, having an end surface positioned to support said opposite plate end, and having an end portion extending across the end of the retaining plate to block it against movement out of engagement with said plate support shoulder, said plug being interlocked with the case and being shaped to define therewith a lock core-receiving opening for the reception of a lock core therein, and a throw member mounted in said retaining plate and operable by said lock core to retract said bolt.
 2. A cable shackle padlock as in claim 1 in which said prong-receiving bores are parallel bores intersecting the end wall of the chamber and said heel plate is mounted flat against said end wall.
 3. A cable shackle padlock as in claim 1 in which said chamber comprises three overlapping bores, and said heel plate is positioned at the inner end of an outer one of saiD bores and retained by a screw aligned with that bore, and the plug is mounted in that bore.
 4. A cable shackle padlock as in claim 1 in which said plate support shoulder is formed by a groove in the case wall into which one end of the plate is engaged for support of such end, said plug end surface supporting the opposite end of the plate.
 5. A cable shackle padlock as in claim 1 in which said case and plug are so shaped that the plug is received in the case by relative axial movement thereof, and have bayonet-locking lugs thereon in position to be interengaged by rotation of the plug in its axially inserted position in the case, the plug having an edge portion which projects into said lock core-receiving opening when the plug is rotationally oriented with said lugs in disengaged relation, and a lock core received in said opening and blocking movement of said edge portion into said opening and thereby blocking said plug from disengagement from said case.
 6. A cable shackle padlock as in claim 1 in which said lock case comprises a thick end portion between the end wall of the chamber and the end of the case, and said prongs and prong receiving bores interfit in said thick end portion over an axial length in excess of the diameter of the prongs, to thereby resist lateral forces on the cable and prongs and isolate the lock mechanism therefrom.
 7. A cable shackle padlock, comprising a heavy cable shackle having a heel piece and a toe piece attached to its ends, each having a heavy prong for insertion in a bore in a lock case and having a retaining groove in position to be exposed for engagement within the case, a lock case having a lock chamber therein defined by side walls and an end wall of thick section, a pair of parallel bores through said thick end wall of said chamber for the reception of the prongs of said heel piece and toe piece, said prongs extending in interfitting relation with said end wall through a long bore length in excess of their diameter, whereby lateral forces on said cable end pieces are transmitted to the thick section of the case and isolated from the lock mechanism within the lock chamber, and lock mechanism within the chamber comprising retaining bolts mounted against said thick end wall and engaged endwise in the retaining grooves of the prongs to lock the same in said bores.
 8. A cable shackle padlock as set forth in claim 7 with the addition of shoulders on said heel and toe pieces in position to engage the outer face of said thick portion of the case and thereby prevent inward thrust forces on said pieces from being transmitted to said lock mechanism.
 9. A cable shackle padlock as set forth in claim 6 with the addition of shoulders on said heel and toe pieces in position to engage the outer face of said thick section when the prongs thereof are locked in the case. 